Abstract
In Heteropneustes fossilis, kisspeptins (Kiss) and nonapeptides (NPs; vasotocin, Vt; isotocin, Itb; Val8-isotocin, Ita) stimulate the hypothalamus-pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis, and estrogen feedback modulates the expression of these systems. In this study, functional interactions among these regulatory systems were demonstrated in the brain and ovary at the mRNA expression level. Human KISS1 (hKISS1) and H. fossilis Kiss2 (HfKiss2) produced biphasic effects on brain and ovarian vt, itb and ita expression at 24 h post injection: low and median doses produced inhibition, no change or mild stimulation, and the highest dose consistently stimulated the mRNA levels. The Kiss peptides produced an upregulation of NP mRNA expression at 24 h incubation of brain and ovarian slices by increasing the concentration of hKISS1 and HfKiss2. The kiss peptides stimulated brain cyp19a1b and ovary cyp19a1a expression, both in vivo and in vitro. Peptide234, a Kiss1 receptor antagonist, inhibited basal mRNA expression of the NPs, cyp19a1b and cyp19a1a, which was prevented by the Kiss peptides, both in vivo and in vitro. In all the experiments, HfKiss2 was more effective than hKISS1 in modulating mRNA expression. The results suggest that the NP and E2 systems are functional targets of Kiss peptides and interact with each other.
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The research was partly supported by grants from the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi (Fund for Improvement of S & T Infrastructure) and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (Institute of Excellence) to the Department of Zoology. The authors are thankful to BHU-Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi – Interdisciplinary School of Life Science for the qPCR facility.
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RC and KPJ designed the experiments. SS conducted the experiments and collated and analysed the data. RC reanalysed the data and prepared the initial draft. KPJ finalized the writing of the manuscript. All the authors read, corrected and approved the final version of the manuscript for publication.
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Chaube, R., Sharma, S. & Joy, K. Kisspeptin modulation of nonapeptide and cytochrome P450 aromatase mRNA expression in the brain and ovary of the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis: in vivo and in vitro studies. Fish Physiol Biochem 49, 1489–1509 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-023-01270-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-023-01270-w